Rainy Days
by Dear Rosie
Summary: A collection of three one-shots centered around rain, with one pairing per story. Ikarishipping, Pokeshipping, Contestshipping.
1. Umbrella

This is the first chapter of Rainy Days. This one is Ikarishipping, the next one will be Pokeshipping, and the last will be Contestshipping (and you'll see why I planned it last).  
So enjoy!  
Reviews are appreciated. :3

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~Rainy Days: Umbrella~

Dawn shifted the chartreuse belt around her sky blue raincoat. She opened her umbrella and stepped out of the office into the pouring rain. She moved quickly to the limousine waiting for her out front. She sat down in the back seat, closed the umbrella, and shut the door. Once inside, Dawn let her Empoleon out of its Poké ball, and it sat on the seat next to her.

Dawn slumped down in the seat. Being a Pokémon Stylist sure made your life busy. Empoleon lay a reassuring flipper on her shoulder, but it was only so much comfort.

"Empoleon, I just wish I weren't so busy these days. We never have any time to do anything anymore…" she sighed. Dawn stared out the window at the drenched world and took in that smell that permeates the air when it rains.

The building where Dawn's next meeting was being held was across town. On a rainy day like this, a forty-minute drive at least.

The driver let her out four blocks from the building Dawn needed to go to. The traffic was too much. If Dawn wanted to make it on time, she'd have to walk.

Returning her cherished friend to its Poké ball, Dawn stepped out of the car. She made her way under awnings until she had to cross the street. It was then she finally realized that she was without an umbrella and had no hood.

"I left my umbrella in the car!" Dawn muttered in shock. Umbrellas were an essential part of her wardrobe. Since it rained in Hearthome City what seemed like once a week, it was important to have a few handy. That, along with raincoats and boots. But in the spirit of high fashion, Dawn's raincoat had no hood.

Dawn knew what she had to do. She waited for the light to turn, covered her head with her hands, and darted across the street. She kept ducking and covering her head until she ran into something-or someone.

Dawn had fallen in a puddle, splashing water all over her. Now she was annoyed, wet, and without an umbrella. Her raincoat only did so much to keep the water out.

"_What kind of raincoat is this anyway?" _Dawn asked herself.

"What are you doing?" rang a familiar voice. She looked up, finding the voice belonged exactly to whom she thought it did. Paul. He had grown a lot since they were kids.

Dawn began to stand up on her own, but surprisingly found a hand to help her up. She blushed, took the hand, and stood up.

"Thank you, Paul," she said quietly.

"Where are you headed?"

"To a meeting. It's at the big office building about two blocks from here."

"You don't have an umbrella or a hood, do you?" Dawn shook her head. "Come on." He stepped closer to her, moving the umbrella over the both of them.

"W-what are you doing?"

"If I leave you out here, you'll get sick," he said flatly.

"You care?" a surprised Dawn asked as they began to walk in the direction of the office building.

"I can't say I don't." Dawn smiled softly and the two continued on their way without another word.

Once the silence had gotten to her, Dawn looked up at her escort. His face stayed solemn, though there was something relaxed about it. Confused, she simply looked down at the various puddles forming on the ground and all the water running smoothly off the sidewalks into the main road where cars splashed water all over.

Dawn began to drift away in her thoughts. Apparently she drifted pretty far because the next thing she knew she was slipping in a puddle.

A quick and firm hand reached out to catch her. The umbrella fell to the ground, the holder now having his hand around the waist of a young Pokémon Stylist.

He pulled her closer to him, causing her to come to her feet. But as the ground was still slippery, all she did was fall into his chest. Paul, however, would not be caused to fall by his clumsy companion. He held her there for a instant, her eyes mesmerized and caught completely in the moment.

In a split second, Paul placed Dawn back on her feet, picked up the umbrella, and resumed walking, doing his best to conceal the slight smile plastered on his face.

Dawn felt the emotions roll in her head. She wasn't sure what to think - there were just too many of them. She could sense the blood rushing to her cheeks and desperately tried to hide it - as desperately as Paul tried to hide his own.

The rest of the walk was bathed in silence, neither one knowing what they wanted to say.

Once the two finally made it to their destination, Dawn ran out from the umbrella toward cover, and Paul turned to leave.

"Thank you!" Dawn called out as she waved goodbye. Paul, without turning around, gave her a wave. She stared out into the rain quietly, letting it all play through again.

"And so we need seventy shipments of this material by next week," said one of the designers in the conference room. Dawn wasn't listening though. She tapped her pencil repeatedly on the desk and gazed out the window, thinking now that maybe it was a good thing she had forgotten her umbrella.


	2. Puddle

Hooray! Pokeshipping!  
You weren't expecting me to update this soon were you? Haha, I wasn't either, but I had a sudden burst of inspiration. xD  
This is very fluffy, by the way. And a bit shorter than my last one. But I still like it.  
I used _A Thousand Miles _by Vanessa Carlton to help me write this. Great song. :D  
Contestshipping's up next! Most likely before the week's out!  
Enjoy!

-xxGlassRose :)

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~Rainy Days: Puddle~

It is almost impossible to go out in the rain and not get wet. Or at least if you are walking. And that's what Misty was doing on this rainy day: walking.

There was something about being outside that just seemed to clear your head. And Misty needed to clear her head. So even if it was pouring rain, she would get away from the Gym. Away from her sisters. Away from everything.

The park would be a good place. A quiet place just for getting away. And that was just what she needed. She slipped her hands in the pocket on the front of her white hoodie, hoping she could soon sort things out.

Misty weaved in and out of the crowds on the sidewalks by the main roads. She walked quickly. It wasn't exactly running, but it was close.

Puddles formed on the ground of the park, and Misty's steps caused water to splash all over. She sat herself on a bench under a cherry blossom tree and sighed heavily. Her thoughts drifted to a certain someone she hadn't seen in the past few years.

"I wonder if he ever thinks of me," she whispered to herself. The raindrops streamed down her cheeks.

Misty looked down at the ground and turned her attention to a puddle at her feet.

She had always found puddles interesting. They gave you a corrupted reflection of yourself. A reflection of something that was lacking, something not perfect. Mirrors gave you a perfect reflection. But puddles made you look lacking. They were much more humbling than mirrors.

And Misty gazed into the puddle, wondering what all was missing in her life.

She was lonely, that's what it was. She had her sisters. She had Tracey. She had the others, like Casey and Brock from time to time. But she had no one to take for walks in the park. No one to stay up all night and watch movies with. No one to sit on the beach and watch the sunset with. No friends like that.

"I miss him…"

She looked back down at the puddle solemnly and stared at her reflection. Her own, corrupted reflection. But soon, she saw shoes reflected in the puddle. And not her own.

"Hey, Misty," said a quiet voice. Misty looked up and to her surprise found a boy standing before her.

"Ash!" She jumped up off the bench and stood there, asking herself if she should hug him. But he hugged her first.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too," Misty said, burying her face into his shoulder. "If I could have gotten away, I would have come to see you. I'd walk as far as I'd need to… If I could have just seen you."

"I'm right here," he began as he gently moved a lock of hair from her face.

"Took you long enough."

"Well, I was busy. And besides, I had to get you something." Ash turned around and searched his bag.

"What is it?" Misty asked, peering over his shoulder.

"This." Ash whipped around and presented Misty with a single flower - an aster.

"Ash! How did you know these are one of my favorite kinds of flowers?"

"I asked Tracey," Ash admitted shyly.

"That goof…" Misty muttered. "Anyway, Ash, I love it. It's beautiful," she said as she delicately fingered it.

"I really missed you, Misty. And I want to let you know that I'm here for you."

"T-thank you." Misty was a bit surprised. Since when had Ash become so sweet?

Ash sat down on the bench and Misty rested up against him. She didn't feel so alone anymore. Neither did he.

And her reflection in the puddle still wasn't perfect, but now it seemed more complete.


	3. Downpour

And... Ta-da! Contestshipping! Finally, the last chapter of Rainy Days! Took me long enough, didn't it? ^^"  
Alright! So I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Animeromance luver, Crystalgurl101, fastchanging, and FluteHero13! Why? Becuase they reviewed the last 2 chapters. :)

Warning: Story contains fluff x3  
Enjoy!~

-xxGlassRose :)

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~Rainy Days: Downpour~

Drew stared out the window.

"It looks like it's gonna rain…" he mumbled before he went to get a jacket-something with a hood.

May rubbed her gloved hands together and shivered.

"It's so cold," she said quietly. "And I think it's going to rain." This was a disappointing realization. It may have been cold, but not cold enough to snow. So, if it rained, the rain would just be cold. And May hated cold rain.

Walking quickly, May did her best to avoid running into anyone. Normally, she walked the streets of Goldenrod City with no second thought. But the same store she passed by every day suddenly became the most fascinating place in the entire world.

She stepped inside the small shop and slipped her gloves into her pockets. It was a small café she had wandered into, and the shop smelled like hot chocolate and peppermints. She scanned the menu for something interesting. And something interesting she found. But not on the menu.

May casually strolled to a single table in the corner of the shop. The table was occupied by a figure she knew all too well. He was engrossed in a novel, not even noticing her. She took the chair opposite him and sat herself down.

"Hi, Drew!" she chirped. The man put down his book.

"May? What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I was just walking by here, and I decided to come in…" May stopped. "I'm not completely sure what I'm doing here. I guess I'm just talking to you!" Drew chuckled. "So what are you doing here?"

"Taking a break," he said flatly. "I'm tired. Work's been a drag. And it's Saturday, so I'm taking some time to relax."

"What are you going to do after this?"

"I don't know. Take a walk maybe?"

"Then I'll come with you!" May declared. He gave her a questioning look. "It'll be more fun if you have someone with you, won't it?"

Drew sighed, then nodded. "Sure. I think I'd like that."

May rubbed her hands together for what felt like the millionth time that day.

"Do you get cold easily?" Drew asked.

"Yeah." May shivered a little. "It's going to rain, too. But it's not cold enough to snow." She let out a heavy sigh. "I hate cold rain. And I'm so cold now, despite wearing this coat."

May suddenly felt warmer when she felt an arm wrap around her. The blood rushed to her face and she could feel herself turning red.

"W-what are you doing?"

"You said you were cold, didn't you?"

"Oh. Yeah I did..." May looked away. She felt so nervous.

"Well? Are you warmer now?" May looked up at his question. She nodded nervously.

When May had finally regained her senses, she asked if they could stop. The two had been walking for a while now; May's legs needed a break.

Staring out at the lake, the two stood by the water talking. It felt good to just talk. Not to argue or tease each other. But those days had been behind them for some time now.

"You know, I wish it'd just hurry up and rain already," May said with a pout.

"Will you stop bringing up rain?"

"How can I? Just look at the sky!" May pointed up. "It's so gray!" She shivered again. "And I'm still so cold..."

"Well then…" Drew wrapped May in a warm embrace. "Now you won't be so cold."

May laid her head on Drew's shoulder. "Drew, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were hugging me, not just to keep me warm."

"Maybe I am."

"But why would you-"

"I love you, May."

This shocked May more than anything she had ever heard in her entire life. However, it also made her happier than anything.

She hugged him tighter and smiled brightly.

"Drew, I think you just made me the happiest girl in the world." Then, out of nowhere, a raindrop fell on May's cheek. She looked back up at the sky. Another fell on her face.

"I guess it's finally raining," Drew said with a smile. May nodded, not at all disturbed by the cold rain.

And the two kissed, engulfed in the sudden downpour.


End file.
